Risotto With Edamame, Lemon, and Tarragon

from RealSimple.com

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 40m | Total Time: 40m

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
4 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups shelled edamame, thawed
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan
kosher salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes.
2. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
3. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed.
4. Stir in the broth, ¾ cup at a time (waiting until each addition of broth is absorbed before adding the next), and cook, stirring occasionally. It should take about 25 minutes for all the broth to be absorbed.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the edamame, lemon zest, tarragon, ¾ cup of the Parmesan, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
6. Spoon into individual bowls and top with the remaining Parmesan.

Slow-Cooker Chicken With Bacon, Mushrooms, and Onions

from RealSimple.com

Serves 6| Hands-On Time: 35m | Total Time: 7hr 00m

Ingredients
1/2 pound sliced bacon, diced
1 4- to 6-pound chicken, cut up
1/2 cup dry white wine (or 1/4 cup dry vermouth plus 1/4 cup water)
1/2 pound small white mushrooms
1 cup frozen small white onions, thawed
6 garlic cloves, chopped
3 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer it to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour off all but a light coating of fat from the skillet. Add the chicken and brown over medium-high heat; transfer to the cooker.
2. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; add the skillet contents to the cooker, along with the mushrooms, onions, garlic, rosemary, and salt. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours.
3. Transfer the chicken, bacon, and vegetables to a platter; keep warm. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan. Combine the water and cornstarch; stir it into the sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour over the chicken.

Cornmeal Blini Bites

from Foodnetwork.com

Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 3 dozen blini

Ingredients
1 8.5-ounce box corn muffin mix
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
Olive oil, for shallow frying (about cup)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
18 seedless green grapes, halved
Honey, for drizzling

Directions
Whisk the muffin mix, milk and egg together until smooth.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 inch of oil to the pan and heat until shimmering. Working in batches, drop teaspoons of batter into the oil to make small pancakes, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Cook until bubbles appear on the tops and the bottoms are golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and finish cooking, about 1 more minute.

Top each blini with ricotta and a grape half. Drizzle with honey and serve warm.

Pasta with Eggplant Sauce

from FitnessMagazine.com

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients
1 medium eggplant
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 14-1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 6-ounce can Italian-style tomato paste
1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Black pepper
Cooked penne pasta
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Peel eggplant; cut into 1-inch cubes.
2. In a 3-1/2- to 5-quart slow cooker, combine eggplant cubes, chopped onion, canned tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, sliced mushrooms, red wine, water, chopped garlic and oregano.
3. Cover; cook on low-heat setting 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
4. Stir in kalamata olives and parsley. Season to taste with pepper. Pour sauce over pasta; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Nutrition facts per serving: 346 calories, 13g protein, 65g carbohydrate, 4g fat (1g saturated), 9g fiber

Cajun Shrimp and Rice

from FitnessMagazine.com

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 14-ounce can chicken broth
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 6- to 6-1/4-ounce package long-grain and wild-rice mix, such as Uncle Ben's
1/4 cup water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 pound cooked, shelled and deveined shrimp
Hot-pepper sauce (optional)

Directions

1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, onions, bell pepper, rice mix with seasoning packet, water, garlic, and Cajun seasoning.
2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
3. Stir shrimp into rice mixture. Cover; cook for 15 minutes longer at high-heat setting. Sprinkle with hot-pepper sauce if desired.

Nutrition facts per serving: 223 calories, 21g protein, 32g carbohydrate, 2g fat (0g saturated), 3g fiber

Louisiana Gumbo

from Family.com

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound Italian sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup onions, small dice
1 cup celery, small dice
1 cup green bell peppers, diced
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons jalapeños or Serrano peppers, minced
1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen okra, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups cooked white rice

Directions

1. In a skillet placed on stovetop set to medium heat, add oil. Once the oil is hot, brown and crumble the sausage until no pink remains, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain the grease, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet.
2. Add the flour and continuously stir with a whisk. Cook until flour has become a dark brown color but not burnt.
3. Add the onions, celery, peppers, paprika, chili peppers, and chicken breast. Stir to combine ingredients and sauté additional 7-8 minutes until vegetables soften.
4. Combine all of the remaining ingredients to the Crock-Pot® slow cooker except the shrimp. Cover and cook on Low for 7-8 hours or on High for 4-6 hours, adding in the shrimp 20 minutes before serving.
5. Serve over cooked rice. Makes 6 servings.

Serves: 6-8
Size: 4 1/2 - 6quarts

Spicy Chipotle Meatballs With Rice

By Abigail Chipley and Charlyne Mattox, April 2011

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 25m | Total Time: 40m

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
2 to 3 teaspoons chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and half the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes (with their juices) and chipotles; using a potato masher, break up the tomatoes. Simmer, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add up to ½ cup water.
2. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package directions.
3. While the rice is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine the beef, cilantro, bread crumbs, egg, cumin, the remaining half of the garlic, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Shape the mixture into 16 meatballs (about 2 heaping tablespoons each).
4. Heat broiler. Place the meatballs on a foil-lined broilerproof baking sheet and broil, turning once, until cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce. Serve over the rice and sprinkle with additional cilantro.

Slow Cooker Cuban Braised Beef and Peppers

By Sara Quessenberry, December 2009

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 10m | Total Time: 8hr 30m

Ingredients
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 red bell peppers, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut crosswise into thirds
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 avocado, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, oregano, cumin, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle the steak among the vegetables. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
2. Twenty-five minutes before serving, cook the rice according to the package directions.
3. Using two forks, shred the beef and mix it into the cooking liquid. Serve with the rice and top with the avocado and cilantro.

Shrimp, Leek, and Spinach Pasta

By Abigail Chipley and Charlyne Mattox, April 2011

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 10m | Total Time: 20m

Ingredients
12 ounces gemelli, fusilli, or some other short pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks (white and light green parts only), cut into half-moons
kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup heavy cream
10 ounces baby spinach (about 12 cups)

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and lemon zest and cook, tossing frequently, until the shrimp is opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes more.
3. Add the cream and ½ teaspoon salt to the pasta in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shrimp mixture and the spinach and toss to combine.